Witness in the Čemerno case: I was forced to give that statement to SIPA, none of it is true

(Patria) - At the trial for crimes in Ilijaš, a defense witness for Benjamin Sikira said he was forced to give a statement to the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA).

The protected witness called by the defense of Benjamin Sikira, who has testified several times in this case, stated that he does not know whether he was at Čemerno on June 10, 1992, but that when he was up there, it was the first time.

Asked by attorney Damir Alagić whether the allegations from the SIPA record were accurate, the witness said they were not.

“I was forced to give that statement. None of it is true,” the witness said.

Attorney Alagić said that the facts and allegations the defense has claimed from the beginning have been confirmed, namely that witnesses were under duress.

For the attack on Čemerno in the municipality of Ilijaš, Džemal Hadžić, Teufik Turudić, Džemal Smolo, Senad, Haris and Benjamin Sikira, Enes Durak, Mirsad, Nusret and Mirzet Bešlija are charged. According to the indictment, on June 10, 1992, they attacked Čemerno – by shooting, throwing bombs, torturing and burning property – resulting in the deaths of 30 persons of Serbian ethnicity.

The trial continues on February 23.